THERE will be at least one new face on Bathurst Regional Council this year, with only one councillor confirming they don't intend to run for re-election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The NSW Local Government Election will be held on September 12 this year, allowing residents to vote for which candidates they believe should represent them for the next four years.
Ahead of the first public council meeting of the year, the Western Advocate contacted all nine councillors to ask about their 2020 plans.
At this stage, only Cr Monica Morse has confirmed she doesn't intend to run for re-election.
Upon receiving her Order of Australia Medal award last month, she said she was looking to step back and was focused on helping more Bathurst women get elected to council.
It will mean the end of her 12-year career as a councillor, which includes serving as mayor for a year.
Some other long-serving councillors have committed to running again, including the current leadership team, mayor Bobby Bourke and deputy mayor Ian North.
The two were elected to council in 2004 and are committed to continuing to serve their community.
Cr North's decision to run for another term is driven by his love of the region and its people, and a desire to helping the region prosper.
For 10 of his 17 years on council he has been deputy mayor, but he said being the next deputy or mayor isn't on his radar just yet.
"To me, the radar at the moment is doing what we're doing," he said.
"We've got a job to do now. The election, we start worrying about that in July, August."
Also intending to run for re-election are councillors Graeme Hanger and Warren Aubin, who were both elected to council for the first time in 2008.
"I'll go again. I've got some unfinished business that I need to finish, so I've got to stay on," Cr Aubin said.
The projects he wants to continue to pursue are bringing Bathurst's go-kart track to fruition, raising the dam wall, building another river crossing and improving the hospital.
Cr Jess Jennings, who joined council in 2012, will run again as well.
One of the concerns people have had about him in the past is that he will abandon local council to run for federal government, however, he assures that it won't be an issue this time.
"I think it's fair to say I've pretty much given up on federal," Cr Jennings said.
"I had a three-term strategy and I'd happily give someone else a go. I'd rather focus on local government and not have to worry at all about any of the party politics."
Bathurst's newest councillors Alex Christian, John Fry and Jacqui Rudge have all said they are undecided on running again at this stage.
Councillors Christian and Rudge intend to make their decisions within the next two months, but Cr Fry said he may wait until June to determine his next move.
He did say, however, that he is "51 per cent" committed to running again.
Cr Christian said he felt all the issues his last election campaign was based around had been addressed and his decision to run for another term would come down to having something more to fight for.
"I'll have a really good look over the next month or two and if I think there is something I can do where I can be of use, then I'll put my hand up again," he said.
Cr Rudge has found the recent tensions between councillors difficult, but said that won't be the factor that determines her decision to re-run.
"I'll make the decision on my family and my personal life as well, not so much the council personalities, because you don't know who is going to be there," she said.
"You don't know what's going to happen at the next election."
